Autocycle.



J. B. PPEFFER.

AUTOUYGLE.

APPLICATION FILED 00117, 1913.

I Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

3 SHBETS-SHEET 1.

B9 his Alf jgs I .J. E. PPEPFER..

AUTOGYCLB.

APPLICATION FILED 001117, 1913.

1,1323380. Y Patented Mar. 16,1915.

Miitmses 4 flwen'top XQZQWAWM THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTOJJTHOH WASHINGTON. D. C.

J. E. PFEFPER.

AUTOGYGLE.

APPLICATION FILED 001.17.1013. I L1 32,380. Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET a. 1 1g 1 Witmessas THE NORRIS PETERS ca. FHOTO-LJIMLL. WASHINGTONv D. C.

, rear traction wheels.

rrn. rr're JOHN E. PFEFFER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA ASSIGNGR TO CONTINENTAL ENGINEERING (10., OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOGYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paijgnted Mail. 16, 1915.

Application fi1ed October 17, 1913. Serial No. 795,711.

of the construction and arrangement of the running gear and body of socalled autocycles. These so-called auto-cycles are, as is well known, really small automobiles,

usually of narrow gage, but having four wheels and adapted to carry one or two persons.

7 Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

As one highly important feature of my present invention, I make the side bars of the running gear frame hollow or tubular and utilize the same as casings to inclose the driving chains, or belts that transmit the power from the engine driven shaft to the These tubular side bars are preferably made dust and oil tight,

so that they will exclude dust and hold oil.

With this improved arrangement, I preferably employ a conventional differential gear and a divided jack shaft, the sections of which are connected at their adjacent ends, in the usual way, to the driven wheels of the differential gear; but in this improved arrangement, the outer ends of this ack shaft are extended through 'sultable bearings on the tubular side bars into the in--' running gear frame is rendered capable of vertical movements without changing the distance between the drivlng and driven sprockets. The front portion of the running gear frame is spring-supported on the front axle, which front axle is provided with the usual pivoted trunnions on which the front wheels are journaled. The engine is pref erably carried on the front portion of the running gear frame, and hence, is spring supported. r

So far as my, present invention is con-' cerned, various different, but suitable connections may be made between the engine crank shaft and the differential gear; but, preferably, I employ a frictional transmisslon mechanism disclosed and broadly claimed in my'companion application filed of even date herewith. A suitable engine incasing hood, or housing, is applied on the front portion of the running gear frame.

The vehicle body is fulcrumed, or pivotally connected at its front endto the forward portion of the running gear frame at a point, preferably, approx1mately alinediwith the rear portion of the engine frame; and the rear portion of said body is spring-supported on the rear portion of the running gear frame. In this way, the vehicle body is springsupported both at front and rear, and, at the same time, whlle the engine is also spring-supported, the running gear frame has a vertical movement which is very" difierent from that of the engine, and the effect of the vibrations of the engine on the body is reduced to a minimum.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several-views. 1

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is'a view in side elevation with some parts broken away and some parts sectioned, illustrating my invention as applied to a small automob'le or so-called auto-cycle; Fig. 2' V is a plan view of the running gear of the auto-cycle, some parts being broken away" and someparts being sectioned, and Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately on the line :0 m on Flg. 2.

The running gear frame is made up of a pair of long parallel tubular side bars 1 and 7 trally divided and is journaled in the bearings 7 and in the casing 6, and the rear sprockets 9, which are located within the said tubular bars, are secured to the respec tive sections of the said divided rear axle. The rear traction wheels 10 are secured to the outer ends of the sections of the said divided rear axle.

The engine, which, as illustrated, is a multi-cylinder explosive engine 11, is shown as secured to the front cross bars 5 of the running gear frame, and a face friction wheel 12 is secured to the rear end of the crank shaft of this engine. This face friction wheel 12 is one of the elements of the frictional transmission mechanism disclosed in my said co-pending application, and for the purposes of this case, it is only necessary to note that the same coiiperates with a peripheral friction wheel 13 mounted to rotate with, but to slide laterally upon a drum 14:, which drum, through a suitable differential gear incased therein, drives the sections of a centrally divided so-called jack shaft 15. The ends of tnis ack shaft 15 are journaled in suitable bearings on the side bars 1 and extend into the interior of the said side bars, and are there provided with driving sprockets 16. Link belts or sprocket chains 17 that are entirely incased by the side bars 1, run over the sprockets 16 and over the rear sprockets 9 on the divided rear axle. The rear ends of the tubular bars are closed, and the front ends thereof, are also preferably closed, but preferably also, just in front of the driving sprockets 16, the tubular side bars 1 are provided with plugs or partitions 18 which shorten up the chambers 1 in which the chains 17 and sprockets 9 and 16 are located. These chambers 1 are adapted to contain oil so that the said sprockets and chain may be run in oil, and at the same time are, of course, incased so that dust, dirt, rain and the other elements, are excluded therefrom.

The spring connection between the front ends of the side bars 1 and the front axle 19 is, as shown, afforded by half elliptical springs 20, rigidly secured to the central portions of the said front axle, pivotally connected at their front ends to the front ends of said bars, and at their rear ends, connected to said bars by short links 21. The front wheels 22 of the running gear are pivoted to the usual trunnions 23 which, in

' turn, are pivotally connected to the ends of the front axle and are provided with arms 2% connected for parallel movements by a cross link 25. The steering connections for oscillating the link 25 to control the steering movement of the front wheels may be of the usual or any suitable construction. The engine hood 26, as already stated, is secured to the front portion of the running gear frame. The vehicle body 27, which, as shown, is provided with two seats 28, located, one ahead of the other, is, at its front portion, shown as provided with fulcrum lugs 29, pivotally connected at 30 to the side bars 1, at points approximately in line with the rear edge of the hood 26.

The numeral 31 indicates the usual steering wheel forming part of a suitable steering mechanism not illustrated in full. As a simple and el'hcient way of spring-support ing the rear end of the body 27 from the rear end of the side bars 1, leaf springs are employed, and these springs, at their front ends, are attached to the sides of the body 1, preferably by pivot bolts 35. The free rear ends of the springs 32 rest on ings afforded by outwardly projecting studs or lugs 34L on the rear ends of the frame 1. fit points just over the intermediate portions of the springs 32, the body 27 is provided with longitudinally adjustable bearings that rest directly on said springs. By lon itudinal adjustments of the bearings in a forward di ection, the resilience of the spring may be increased, and, obviously, a rearward adjustment will accomplish the reverse result.

The construction above described, while extremely simple and of small cost, is strong, durable and generally efficient. The driving mechanism is not only incased out of contact with the dust, elements, and run in oil, also these parts are kept out of sight and guarded so that they cannot catch the clothes or any other article. supporting the body makes the vehicle easy riding.

What I claim is:

1. In an automobile running gear, the combination with front and rear wheels, of hollow side bars pivotally supported at the axis of the rear wheels and spring-supported at their front ends, of a transmission mecha-- nism including driving and driven wheels and cooperating belts located within said side frames.

2. In an automobile running gear, the combination with front and rear axles and front and rear wheels, of hollow side bars pivotally supported on said rear axle and spring-supported at their front ends, an engine driven counter shaft extended into the front ends of said hollow side bars, and a transmission mechanism including driving and driven wheels, respectively, on said counter shaft and rear axle, located within saidhollow side bars and secured, respec tively, on said counter shaft and rear axle, and belts also located within said hollow side bars and running over coiiperating driving and driven wheels running over the alined driving and driven wheels.

3. In an automobile running gear, the combination with front and rear wheels and front and rear axles, the latter being a The manner of of hollow side bars pivotally supported at.

the axes of the rear Wheels, and spring-supported from the front wheels, of a transmls- SlOIl mechanlsm lncludlng 5. In an automobile running gear, the combination with frontwheels, rear wheels, front axle and rear axle, the latter being a divided axle, of dust-tight tubular side bars ,pivotally mounted on sald rear axle and springs supported on saidfront axle, an ens.

gine carried on the front portions of said side bars, a transverse divided Jack shaft extended into said side frames'provided with driving sprockets within" said side frames, driven sprockets secured to said divided rear axle within said side frames, sprocket chains running over said driving fiopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 06mm Washington, .D. G. V 1

driving and driven wheels and cooperating belts-located within said side frames.

and driven sprockets -within said, side frames, and an engine-driven differential gear connecting the sections of said jack shaft.

6. In an automobile, the combination with hollow side bars pivotally supported on the 7 rear axle and spring-supported from the front axle, of a vehicle body fulcrumed at its front end on the forward portions of said side bars and spring-supported at its rear end on the rear portions of said side bars, and driving wheels and belts located in'said' hollow side bars.

7. In an automobile, the combination with a running gear frame including hollow'side bars pivotally supported onthe rear'axle' and spring-supported on the front axle, of a vehicle body fulcrumed on its front end on the front portion of said running gear frame and spring-supported at its rear end of the rear portions thereof, and an engine mount-- ed on the spring supported front end of said running gear frame and having connections located in said hollow side bars for driving the rear wheels.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. PFEFFER.

Witnesses EMILY MAY KING, HARRY D. KILGORE.

issioner of Patents, 

